Parish of Lismore and Ballysaggart update

The graduation liturgy in Blackwater Community School on Friday, 20th May marked another event in the lives both of students, parents, teachers. Saying ‘Good Bye’ is never easy. Many people just avoid that experience.

Thanks to the R.E. department along with the cooperation of other teachers, the students participated so sincerely. We wish them well in their Leaving Cert exams. Many students have really worked hard over these last two years. We wish their parents every blessing as they know their sons and daughters are now shaping their own dream, a dream begun when they were conceived in the womb. The Word of God, chosen from the prophet Jeremiah spoke of

God’s love and affection for his children.

From the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans we committed ourselves to sincere, loving authentic relationships. With the Gospel we were acquainted with the teaching of the Lord. May the joy that Jesus experiences in his life be the personal experience of each person participating in the Mass. Now we pray that each one of the students use wisely the time leading to the 8th of June. We pray also that the Christian wisdom their parents lovingly shared with them since childhood will be their harbour in time of storms.

Our cemetery Mass will be the 6.15pm Saturday evening Mass on 4th June. The new pastoral council are taking care of all the arrangements. Do tell your friends who may miss this notice. It is a busy weekend but we all have to make choices. We will have our Ballysaggart Mass on Friday 10th at 7pm. Both liturgies depend on the weather.

We will celebrate the Ascension of the Lord on Sunday. It marks a change in how we will now be united with the Lord. When we live the love that Jesus lived we will be in touch with the Lord. When we as a community live the Love of the Lord, then the world is confronted with the presence of the Risen Lord.

It was painful for the apostles to no longer have those post Easter experiences. Today it is painful for us when we look at the parish. We know God is doing a new deed and we can only humbly do what we can to be one with the Christ. We will support each other who are part of the Eucharistic community and do what we can to reach out to all those who feel only on the sidelines of Church. We do not understand so much of what is happening in society or in Church.

To seek the truth is untidy for sometimes it is those outside of Church who give real witness to Christ while those within lack credibility. You could do well to reread the Apostles Creed or Nicene Creed and reflect carefully on the faith of the Church. Consider how each of these ideas affect your life.